Bridge structure



' March 25, 1947. E, F JANKE, SR l 2,417,825

yBRIDGE STRUCTURE Filed Nov. l0, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. l

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E. F. JANKE, SR 2,417,825v BRIDGE STRUCTURE v nvucu fof.

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arch 25,' 1947. E. F. JANKE, sR y 2,417,825 l BRIDGE STRUCTURE FiledNov. 1:0, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 25, 1947.

E. F. JANKE, SR

BRIDGE STRUCTURE Filed Nov. lO, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 25,1947 2,417,825 BRIDGE STRUCTURE Edward F. llanlke, Sr., Washington, D.C.

Application November 10, 1944, Serial No. 562,773

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883,/as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 1 Claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to bridges but more particularly to abridge which may be rapidly erected with easily transportable parts. Oneobject of the invention is to provide a bridge of the type set forthhaving a light, strong and eicient structure which may be easily erectedby unskilled workmen.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bridge having astructure composed of many like and similar parts which may be easilymanu'- factured, transported and replaced when necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bridge of the classdescribed which is of sufficient rigid construction to prevent lateralswaying or longitudinal to and fro motion caused by live loads or Windpressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bridge which is composedof `easily connected parts which may be readily assembled to form anysuitable span, and assembledwith suflicient rapidity to make thestructure adaptable for bridging streams or rivers in battle areas.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in certainfeatures of construction and combinations and parts hereinafterdescribed and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are represented by similarreference characters:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the assembled bridge with ooringremoved;

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the foundation, mast and twosections at one end of the bridge;

vFigure 3 is a sectionized view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectionized view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one end of a beam showing the boom androd connections;

Figure 6 is a perspective View of an upper end of a boom and its rodconnections;

Figure '7 is-a perspective view showing the upper end of a mast and thearrangement of the rod connections;

Figure 8 is a partially sectionized elevation showing a modified form ofmast support; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a loop fastener.

Briey stated, the bridge comprises end masts which are supported onsuitable foundations and which are retained in an upright position byguy 2 rods, portal bracing and chords which extend throughout the lengthof the bridge. The chords also function as supports for a plurality ofdiagonal compression members or booms and vertical tension rods, towhich are attached lower end loops for the support of floor beams. Thestructure is formed as a series of boom sections supported by the masts,the longitudinal boom supports forming links in the chords which extendbetween the masts and the end beams of the bridge.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the numerals IB, lil and Il, Il designate thefoundation blocks or abutments on which the masts l2, I2 and i3,- l3 aresupported. On these foundation blocks are mounted mast support membersM, I4 and l5, I5 which consist of flanged collars, the flange portion I6of which is attached to the blocks by stud bolts Il and the collarportion is attached to the lower end of the masts by means of screws I8.A modified form of means for the attachment of the masts to the blocksis shown in Fig. 8, wherein the mast is provided with a drilled hole I9at its lower end which is adapted to receive the pin 2B which isretained by the block. All masts and booms used in the bridgeconstruction, if made of wood, are provided with caps 2l at theirextremities to prevent splitting.

In the foundation are also fastened eye pins 22 to which the booms 23and 23' are connected by means of U-shaped attaching members 25 whichare aflixed to their lower ends as will be further described.

At the upper extremity of the masts are provided anchoring pins 26 whichare screwed into the masts or otherwise suitably attached thereto. Thesepins 26 which are threaded at their upper ends for the reception of anut are adapted to retain thereon link fastening strips 21.

The fastening strips 2l which are shown in detail in Fig. 7 comprisestrips of metal provided with a center hole adapted to fit over theupwardly projecting threaded pins 26, and end holes which are adapted toretain the shackles 28 for the attachment of the rods 2S which form guymembers. After the fasteners are placed over the threaded pins they maybe fastened in place by means of the nuts 30.

The masts are supported by guy members or braces 24 which extend to theconcrete blocks 24', and by the portal braces 3l and 3l which are alsocomposed of rods 29. The guy members are tightened by means ofturnbuckles 32. Both the guy members and portal braces are attached tofasteners 2l by means of shackles 28. The

the upper ends of the booms are attached ring project through the centerhole in a fasteningv strip 21 to which rods 29 of the upper chord areattached.

From the ring of the ring member 31 are suspended rods 29' which areattached to said ring members by means of a shackle 28 and a bolt 32. asshown in Fig. 6. The lower ends of the rods 29' are also attached, bymeans of a shackle 28 and bolt, to a beam support fastener 3a whichcomprises a metal strip 39 provided `with three holes throughout itslength, one hole adjacent to either end thereof, and a hole about onethird the distance from the bottom of the strip. To the main strip iswelded a U-shaped boom support member 39' which is drilled for thereception of an eye bolt 43 'to which the U-shaped attaching member 25,affixed to the lower end of a boom 23, is bolted. The strip 39 of thebeam support fastener 38 is attached to a fastening strip 21 by a boltwhichA passes through the central hole therein. The end holes of thestrips 21 of the f;

beam support fasteners 38 are provided for the attachment of shackleswhich are connected to rods 29 of thelower chords 34 and 34'. At thelower end of the beam support fastener 38 is attached a loop fastener 21which is held on either side of the strip 39 by means of a boltextending through the lower hole therein. i

'Ihe end holes of the loop fasteners 21 which are attached to the beamfastener are for the attachment of bolts which suspend a U-shaped loop jUpon the beams may be placed steel treadways ,L or parallelly spacedlongitudinal stringers i6 which support the transverse floor boards 41,as

' illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Curb rails 4S extend along each side ofthe flooring throughout the length of the bridge.

In constructing the bridge the abutments l0, lll' and Il, Il', andanchor blocks 24' are first located in the desired positions, as shownin Fig. l. The masts are then erected and braced by the guy rods 24 andportal braces 3| and 3l'. The upper chords 33 and 33', comprising therods 29 and fastening strips 21, are then attached to the upper ends ofthe masts and the booms 23, 23 are attached to the eyes in thefoundation blocks l0, Ill and H, Il and to the nearest fastener stripsy21 in the upper chords. Lower chords 34 and 34' which are also composedof rods 29 linked together by fastening strips 21 are then attached tothe end beams 35 and 35. The vertical suspension rods 29 are suspendedfrom the ring members 31, and to the bottom of these rods 29 arefastened the beam fasteners 38 which have a U-shaped beam loop 4lattached thereto. After the first section of the bridge has been erectedthe booms of the following sections are attached by engaging the pins36' of the ring members 31 to the fastening strips 21 of the upperchords and connecting the U-shaped attaching members 25 at the lowerends of the booms to the strip 39 of the beam support fastener 38 bymeans of the eye bolts 40. The rods 29' are attached to the rings 31 atthe upper ends of the booms and to the beam fastener 39, in all of thesections.

By Stringing the upper chords only before filling in the booms andvertical tension rods, the boom sections may be vbuilt outward from themasts, one after another, until the other side is reached, or they maybe erected from either end masts and the construction continued towardthe center.

The rods 29 and 29 from which the upper and lower chords, mast supports,and suspension members are formed may be of equal length. The booms mayalso be of equal length, and the fastener strips 21 may be of similar`construction and equal size. Loop fasteners as shown in Fig. 9 may beused to support the U-shaped loops 4I or two separate links 21 may -beattached to the sides of the strip 39 for this purpose.

The uniformity in construction and size of the parte used, the ease withwhich they are connected, and the manner of their arrangement to form aplurality of interconnected boom sections are features which facilitatethe erection of a rigid and durable bridge in the shortest possibletime.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A bridge structure comprising end masts and a plurality ofinterconnected boom sections each section including a boom and asuspension rod, upper and lower chords formed of rods connected by linkfasteners extending between said masts, means for connecting said boomsto said link fasteners in the upper chord, means for connecting saidsuspension rods to said booms at their upper ends and beam supportfasteners for uniting the lower ends of adjacent booms and suspensionrods, said beam support fasteners each including an elongated strip towhich is connected a link fastener of a lower chord, loop fastenersconnected to said elongated strips, and supporting loops connected tosaid loop fasteners, beams supported by said loops, stringers mounted onsaid beams, and flooring mounted on said stringers.

EDWARD F. JANKE, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT s Number Name Date 143,788 Serrell et al Oct. 21,1873 150,515 Bogardus Jan. 5, 1874 1,143,866 Sturgis June 22, 1915

